Can You See The Big Blue Elephant?
Or, Do You Choose Not to?
by Carol Hall
Website: God's Rose
Proverbs 25:21-22—“If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. You will heap burning coals on their heads, and the LORD will reward you.”
I have learned that people often don’t want to rock the boat or step outside the box—out of their comfort zones or get involved—both Christians and non-Christians alike. When will we learn there are lost, lonely and spiritually hungry people searching for the hope and kindness that’s safely tucked away inside you and me? Sometimes they even come to church searching people’s faces in hopes of finding a friend, but what they find is a painted grin allowing no one to see within. In actuality, these lost and lonely people are brushed off by hand shakes without any eye contact or even a sincere, “What do you need from God?”
Many times, someone who’s been abused—in whatever manner—can recognize similar abuse in another person. But it’s up to you and me whether we are willing to do what Jesus would do. Abuse runs rampant in not only our city, but in our churches, and our very homes, because we are not willing to say we see the Big Blue Elephant. It’s time to call it what it is, people!! It’s SIN!! If Jesus had taken the approach of not getting involved, we would ALL be headed straight for hell today! We wouldn’t have the bridge—Jesus—to lead us across the great gap—home to Heaven.
I made a decision long ago, that if I see or feel someone is being abused—especially as I have been—I will not stand idly by and say, “Nope. I don’t see a Big Blue Elephant.” And, I have been tested on this let me tell you.
No one should allow anyone to use them as a doormat—wiping their feet on them or abusing them. Strong women need strong men of God who aren’t intimidated by her strength. Often, when we are in bad relationships, we ask God to end them—then, when God tries to, we grab them back. Let me say, friends—I’ve learned that Satan will send his best—camouflaged in a pretty or handsome package—before God sends His best, so we have to be very careful what we are willing to settle for.
Would you like to see through God’s eyes? Pray for your eyes to be opened to see you and watch how aware you become of what is weighing you down. If you are obedient, you can drop the baggage inside your mind, your heart and your spirit. Secret actions will be revealed to you if you ask. Don’t kid yourself. God sees all, and those with Godly discernment can see through lies and deceit, too. Just like toothpaste and mouthwash doesn’t completely hide the smell of alcohol or cigarettes—a smile and a good lie doesn’t hide the garbage in your heart, because eventually the garbage in your heart will come out of your mouth. Obedience is better than sacrifice. God is looking for an obedient child. Are you obedient?
Addictions (relationships, alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, cursing, THINGS, etc.) are anything that comes between us and our relationship with God. They even cause us great pain, because we are used to them. Even self pity, worry, and depression can attempt to comfort or rob us of the joys of the Lord, because we’re used to them. When we have catered to these familiar spirits for so long, it actually feels good to go back to those things that hurt us most—because they are familiar to us. But it is my hope that the knowledge you gain today will help you recognize these spirits the enemy tries to attach to your life. And, the next time he attempts to hold and hinder you with bondages, strongholds, and mind-binding spirits, you will have the ammunition you need to break FREE! Take control, and speak the name of Jesus (out loud or in a whisper), and those spirits must go! The Word says, “Resist the devil, and he will flee.”
Until we break the strongholds—or allow them to be broken—off our lives, we will continue attracting the same types of people and bad habits. Stop wanting someone to make you whole. We must be whole BEFORE we get into a relationship, because each person is an individual—a WHOLE person. We must also STOP wanting to fix or mother our man and/or woman! When a man gets married, he doesn’t want someone telling him what to do—there must be balance for there to be peace. And if he’s sane, he surely doesn’t want someone just like his mother! Do you want someone just like your daddy? NO! NO! Can you hear me? I said NO! Oh! Of course, there may be positive traits about your mother and/or daddy that you respect, but we need to ask God for His man or woman to come into our lives. Or if you’re already married, ask God to mold your husband or wife into a man or woman of Godly character. Start speaking it into existence even before you see it!
Married women and single women alike—clothe yourselves with Godly Armour. Godly Armour consists of forgiveness, righteous living (He is our righteousness), praise, boldness, positive speech and actions, encouragement, tithing, witnessing, Godly examples, discernment, wisdom and knowledge, free flowing spiritual gifts, faith, intercession, studying the Word—LOVE!
You may be thinking right now that—you used to go to church. And—you used to be close to God—but now you can’t feel Him. You may even be asking, “Has He left me?” News Flash … He hasn’t gone anywhere—He’s right at the crossroads where you left Him.
How many great opportunities have come along, but you’ve missed them because you didn’t want anyone to think you were strange? Or you didn’t want to call attention to yourself. Or you didn’t feel worthy. Sometimes God allows His Word to become flesh—in the form of a stranger—so He can dwell among us. It may come from totally unexpected sources—like that once strong soldier now a handicapped war veteran, invisible to society and/or his/her family, sitting on the street corner in a wheelchair freely offering a big toothless smile to passersby who’ve forgotten how to smile. You see—unlike FREEDOM—smiles are FREE. Or, in the form of a beggar offering a sincere, “God bless you,” after you’ve dropped a measly nickel or dime into his cup. Maybe it’s in the form of an innocent child placing their small hand inside yours without saying a word.
Hebrews 13:1-2 says, “Let brotherly love continue. Be not
forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”
How many blessings must we have forfeited because we resisted God when we should have been thanking Him? God does answer our prayers, people. However, often when we pray for something, we don’t even recognize the answers to our own prayers when we receive them, because they don’t happen the way we thought they would.
Ephesians 4:23—“There must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes.”
Before revival can begin in the church, it must first begin in you and me. For revival to begin in you and me, we must be honest—Can you see any Big Blue Elephants in your life—or, do you choose not to?
OTHER ARTICLES:
Judas By Another Name
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